Harvester



Jan. 18, 1966 1 E. F HARRETT 3, 2 ,453

HARVESTER Original Filed Nov. 30, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. SKA/E5T E AMAAEIT Jan. 18, 1966 E. F. HARRETT 3,229,453

HARVESTER Original Filed Nov. 30, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

IN VENTOR. mugsr ff MP QM M Jan. 18, 1966 E. F. HARRETT 3,229,453

HARVESTER Original Flled Nov. 30, 1962 6 Sheets sheet 5 INVENTOR.P/2/E57 F f/AFFETT ATraH/Ew' Jan. 18, 1966 E. F. HARRETT HARVESTER 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Nov. 30, 1962 INVENTOR. iFA/EST F HARRETTBY ,f-f

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Jan. 18, 1966 E. F. HARRETT 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Nov. 30,1962 INVENTOR. lP/VEST E Mmaerr BY W MM AfidF/M'EKS United States Patent3 Claims. (Cl. 56-330) This application is a divisional application ofthe parent application entitled Harvester filed November 30, 1962,Serial No. 241,267 by Ernest F. Harrett.

This invention relates to berry harvesting equipment, and moreparticularly to a self-propelled blueberry harvesting vehicle.

Although some fruit crops can presently be harvested automatically byshaking the fruit from the trees, presently known and availableapparatuses are limited to tree crops such as cherries. Berry products,especially blueberries, must still be picked by hand. Associated withhand picking are many difl'lculties for the blueberry farm owner oroperator. Often, pickers are not available. The shortage of competentpickers becomes greater each year as blueberry plantations become largerand more numerous. Hand picking is also slow. Large numbers oflightweight carrying containers must also be provided each year for eachpicker. Further, many labor problems usually arise during the season.Still other difiiculties exist as is wellknown to blueberry farm owners.Consequently, there is a great need for automatic blueberry pickingequipment. Several types of devices have been tried heretofore withlittle success. Blueberries grow on bushes that are usually in closelyspaced rows with the bushes in each row being very close. Conventionalshakers mounted on a trac tor and which grip a tree trunk are notcapable of harvesting blueberries from the relatively delicate, flexiblebushes. Firstly, the rows are too close for tractor maneuvering.Moreover, conventional arm and hand type shaker elements cannot properlygrip a large part of the bush which is composed of a number of delicatestems and branches. Further, the falling berries could not be caughtwith presently known equipment. Also, all parts of a flexible bush donot shake properly when the bush base of several stems is shaken, likethe branches of a tree do when the trunk is shaken.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a self-propelledberry harvester, especially for blueberries, that can move down a row ofclose blueberry bushes in a straddling fashion so that it can be readilymaneuvered through the rows without damage to the bushes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a blueberry harvestingapparatus having unique bush gripping and shaking means and berrycatching means between the legs of the straddling self-propelledvehicle. The apparatus shakes oii all ripe berries from a blueberry bushat one time, being able to remove the berries in less than a minutewhere a large fraction of an hour or more is ordinarily required withtwo pickers on a bush. The apparatus can efliciently remove the berriesin spite of the multiple stem bush system, and in spite of the flexiblenature of the bush branches, yet without damage to the delicate branchesand stems. The berries are caught beneath the bush by a special apronmeans without significant berry loss, in spite of the fact that thegroup of spaced stems is several inches in diameter.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a blueberryharvesting apparatus that has a variable gap and variable pressuregripping means, and that has a variable intensity vibration to be ableto suit the particular size and characteristics of the bush.

It is another object of this invention to provide a berry harvesterhaving unique removal means for a flexible 3,229,453 Patented Jan. 18,1966 ICC bush structure, including vibrating means cooperating withvibrational interference means to disrupt the vibrational pattern of theflexible branches wherein the bunches of berries tend to form the nodalportions of the pattern. Disruption of the pattern allows berryvibration and causes them to fall.

These and several other objects regarding the specific forms of theapparatus will be obvious upon studying the following specification inconjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front of the harvest ing vehicle,and more specifically of one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the central portion of themachine in FIG. 1 taken from the rear thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the novel harvesting apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the drive mechanism on one rear wheel;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the vibrating mechanism for the bushgripping means;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of one-half of the mechanism taken on planeVII-VII of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of one form of guide for the bushesbetween the legs of the harvesting apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a top plan, fragmentary view of a second form of the inventiveapparatus;

FIG. 10 is an elevational, sectional view of the apparatus in FIG. 9taken on plane XX;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic conrtol circuitry andmechanism for the apparatus in FIGS. 9 and 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a second form of vibration interrupter;and

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the interruptor in FIG. 12 in its raisedposition.

Basically, the inventive berry harvesting machine comprises abush-straddling self-propelled frame generally shaped like an invertedU, including gripping means extensible and retractable toward and awayfrom each other from the opposite legs of the vehicle to accommodate thewidth of the bush base and to press against the base with a selectedpressure, oscillating vibrating or shaking means to oscillate thegripping means on the opposite sides in a synchronous manner and withvariable intensity, flexible, berry collecting, apron means extensiblefrom the opposite legs and sufliciently flexible to wrap around thebase" of the bush. Unique vibrational interference means is mounted onopposite sides i.e. adjacent the opposite legs, to contact the branchtips and berries and disrupt the nodal vibrational patterns, to therebycause the berries to be vigorously shaken from the bush.

In one form of the invention, the gripping means is mounted on dependingcolumns afiixed to overhead support plates slidable toward and away fromeach other across the cross member of the inverted U frame as controlledby a fluid cylinder. Crank and pitman arrangements on opposite sides aresynchronized to oscillate the gripping means from side to side. Inanother form of the invention, a pair of fluid cylinders on each sidesupport a bracket in an extensible manner, with a second pair of fluidcylinders being aflixed to the bracket and supporting the gripping meansso that extension of the first fluid cylinders places the gripping meansagainst the base of the plant, while oscillation of the second fluidcylinders, acting as slaves in response to a master cylinder, vibratesthe bush. Other inventive features in combination with.

these are also included as will be apparent from the detailedspecification to follow.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the inventive berry harvestingvehicle comprises a frame of structural steel elements which form anupper rectangular platform having wheeled support posts depending fromeach corner. The frame is shaped generally like an inverted U from the.front to back, with the inverted legs of the U forming the sides of themachine and the base of the U forming the top platform. It thus is ableto straddle a row of berry bushes. Fixedly mounted on top of the machineis an internal combustion engine 16 which, as will be explained indetail hereinafter, both propels the machine and operates all of themovable components thereof, preferably through fluid motors and fluidcylinders. On the lower ends of the four telescopically adjustablesupport columns 14 are four wheels. The rear wheels 18 serve to drivethe mechanism through fiuid motors 20 and chain and sprocket mechanism22 to sprocket 23 on the hub of each rear wheel 18. Each fluid motor 26is driven by pressurized fluid flowing in through conduit hose 24 andout through hose 26 (FIG. 5).

In the form of the invention shown, the front wheels 40 are mounted inbrackets 42, which are pivotally mounted by thrust bearings (not shown)to elements 44 inside the outer shells of columns 14. The wheels areeach connected to a central sleeve (not shown) inside tubular elements44 and which extend up to the top and have sprockets 46 afiixed to theupper ends. (See especially FIG. 3.) A transversely extending chain 48passes around both sprockets and includes a section 50 of gear rackaffixed therein. This rack is cooperative with a spur gear 52 affixed tosteering shaft 54 which is mounted rotatably in bearings 56 at the frontand 58 at the rear of the apparatus. A sec-nd sprocket and chain 60 isaffixed to shaft 54 at the rear and extends down to steering column 62to which steering wheel 64 is attached. Rotation of the steering wheelthus operates pinion 52, rack 50, chain 48 and sprockets 46 to pivot theinner elements and turn the wheels 40.

It may be desirable to locate the steering wheel 64 and .a suitable seat(not shown) on top of the entire vehicle if desired, rather than at therear thereof as shown. Also, it may be desirable to provide an automaticsteering mechanism with a pair of spaced sensors that extend out infront of the vehicle and contact the opposite sides of the bushes tooperate a servo valve mechanism that controls the steering operation ofthe front wheels 40 to steer the device down a row. Other modificationsmay also be made in this steering mechanism as is desired.

As the vehicle is driven over a row by power applied to rear wheels 18(FIG. bushes are guided into the front end of the machine and bytunneling guide elements 70 and 72 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which may be formedof sheet metal. The guide means includes a pair of diagonally positionedwheels 92 and 94 to help roll the bushes between the leg of themechanism without skinning the bark from the stems and branches.Alternatively, in order to, eliminate all possibility of the guide meansscrubbing bark off the delicate stems and branches of the bushes, it maybe desired to use a plurality of tunneling V-belts which moverearwardlyalong the surfaces 70 and 72 at the same rate which thevehicle moves forwardly across the ground. A schematic plan view of sucha V- belt assembly is illustrated in FIG. 8. The V-belts 81) pass aroundthe sheaves or pulleys 82 as each belt is driven by the respective fluidmotor 20 driving the adjacent wheel, so that, as the vehicle moves aheadin the direction of the central arrow at a certain velocity (e.g. 2m.p.h.) with respect to the ground, the belts will move in the oppositedirection adjacent the bushes, at this same velocity with respect to thevehicle. Consequently, when a portion of the belt contacts a bush 86,that same section of belt remains in contact with this same section ofthe bush as the vehicle passes thereover. This completely eliminates anyrubbing action on the bush. The pulleys may actually be arranged toaccommodate two or more different V-belts 8t) and on each side, spacedabove and beneath each other (FIG. 10) on two sheaves 82 and 82'connected by shaft 88. To enable the apparatus to accommodate bushes ofany height, the telescoping corner support columns 14 can be verticallyadjusted. Also, in order to enable the vehicle to accommodate uneventerrain having pockets and rough spots, the front wheels are verticallymovable on an equalizing rocker arm assembly including a horizontal,transverse rocker arm pivoted to frame 12 at 102, and operably connectedto the front columns through posts 104. The front wheels thereby havelimited vertical movement as the vehicle moves across uneven terrain toprevent one wheel from being suspended in the air.

Extending from the opposite legs of the frame, and adapted to bepositioned on opposite sides of a bush over which the vehicle hasstopped, is a pair of gripping bars 118 and 112, including resilientinner surfaces of rubber or the like, facing each other from theopposite sides.

In the first form of the invention (FIG. 6), these gripper elements arefixedly mounted to a pair of stub shafts 114 and 116 which in turn arepivotally mounted to a pair of pitmans or connecting rods 118 and 120.The connecting rods on each side have their outer ends pivotally affixedto a pair of cranks 122 and 124 connected by shaft 126. One of thecranks 124 is afiixed to a sprocket 128 driven by a chain 130 extendingdownwardly from the top of the apparatus where the chain is engaged witha second drive sprocket 132. This drive sprocket is mounted on shaft 133driven by bevel gear 134 meshing with ,bevel gear 136 attached to shaft138. Shaft 138 is driven by fluid motor 142 through a suitable sprocketand chain connection 140. Shaft 138 is telescopically adjustable acrossthe platform. It includes an outer sheath portion 138' (FIG. 3) on thedrive end and a rectangular portion 138" interfitting with a rectangularinterior in portion 138' to provide a rotatable drive connection. Thus,as sprocket drive rotates shaft 138, it drives bevel gear 136 at one endof the shaft, and bevel gear 136' at the other end of the shaft. Fromgear 136' is an oscillating drive connection to the opposite gripper orbumper element 112 through a second set of sprockets, chains, cranks andpitmans. The crank and connecting rod arrangement on one side isoriented in an opposite manner ,to that of the other so that withsimultaneous driving thereof, one bumper bar will be retracted while theother is extended and vice versa, so that they move in synchronisrntogether from one side to the other. This is necessary in order to keepthem in gripping relationship with the bush during oscillation. If thiswere not done, the bars would repeatedly pound the bush and severelydamage it.

Before the grippers can vibrate a plant, they must be moved from acontracted state away from each other and adjacent the legs of the frameas in FIG. 4, to an extended position toward each other and away fromthe legs of the frame as in FIGS. 2 and 6. The crank and pitmanconnections are operably mounted in the horizontal, lower legs of thefour L-shaped members which also include the upright elongated legs 152.These L- shaped members face each other across the space between thelegs of the frame 12 (FIG. 4). Each base portion 150 of each L-shapedmember is spaced in a parallel manner from the adjacent L-shaped memberbase 150' (FIG. 2). These are connected by a cross beam 164 at the innerends. This cross beam supports the outer ends of elements 114 and 116(FIG. 6) during their reciprocal movement. These pairs of upright columnelements 152 and 152 on the opposite sides are hollow to house thechains 130 (FIG. 6) for the vibrating drive sequence, as well as thesprocket 128 and crank 124. The horizontal legs 150 and 150' house thepitmans 118 and 120 and rods 114 and 116. Since the entire gripping andoscillating assembly is operably mounted to the L-shaped elements, itwill be obvious that, in order to place the gripping elements 110 and112 in gripping relationship with the stems of the bush before shakingbegins, i.e. to extend them toward each other, column portions 152 and152 supporting this structure must be moved towards the like columnportions on the opposite side of the structure. The upper ends of thetwo pairs of columns 152 and 152' are rigidly afiixed as by Weldment toa pair of slidable support plates 180 and 182 formed of thick steel orthe like (FIGS. 1 and 3). Each of these plates 180 and 182 is generallyrectangular in configuration and is horizontally positioned. The two areopposite to each other. They are interconnected by a linkage composed ofthree links, link 186 having its outer end pivotally affixed to plate182, and its inner end pivotally aflixed to the central link 1%, link196 pivoted at its center to rigid cross beam 193, and at its oppositeend to link 188, and link 188 which has its outer end pivotally aflixedto plate 180. The side edges 182' of bearing plate 182, and edges 180 ofplate 180 are interfitted slidably in a pair of transverse guides 192which are generally U- shaped in cross section so that the slots of theU face each other to slidably receive the plates 18% and 132. Plates 18dand 182 may be moved toward or away from each other by a fluid cylinder2G9 having its outer cylinder end 202 affixed to plate 182 and its outerrod end 264 afiixed to plate 180. Thus, by contraction of the fluidcylinder 20%, plates 189 and 182 are drawn toward each other to pull theentire mechanism including the columns, vibrating mechanism and gripperelements toward each other against the base of a plant. Both plates aremoved uniformly because of the regulating linkage 186, 190, 188. It willnow be obvious why the vibrating transversely positioned drive rodportions 138'138 must be telescopically adjustable, since fluid drivemotor 142, shaft portion 138 and bevel gears 134 and 136 are operablyaflixed to plate 180, while the corresponding elements of bevel gear136' with its cooperating sprockets etc. are mounted in bearingsdirectly aflixed to plate 182 as is seen in FIG. 3. Thus, movement ofthe plates 130 and 182 towards each other to move the entire columns andgripping element assembly toward each other must be accompanied bymovement of the relative sprocket gears and other drive elements bytelescopic interrelationship between shaft portion 138' and inner-shaftportion 138". A suitable bearing 21B is mounted to cross brace 193between tracks 192 for outer shaft portion 138.

If desired, a pair of arcuate, vertically extending, curtain-formingelements 204 may each be mounted on radial arms 2436 and 298. The armsare in turn pivotally mounted to plates 182 and 180 at 212. A biasingacuator arm 214 including a spring 216 having one end affixed to thetrack 192, so that as the plates 180 and 182 move toward each other, thetwo actuator arms 214 will be restrained, causing arcuate movement ofradial arms 206 and 298 about pivotal point 212 to thus close the twocurtain portions 204 arcuately (see arrows in FIG. 3) toward each otherin front of the bush between the gripping elements 110 and 112. Thepurpose of these curtains is to prevent interference of the next bush inthe row by the shaking bush and flying berries. It has been found inactual use, however, that these curtain elements are not always needed.

By actuation of fluid cylinder 206 in varying amounts, the gripper meanscan be drawn toward each other. Once the bush stems are gripped with thedesired degree of intensity, the shaker mechanism operated by fluidmotor 142 is actuated to shake the bushes.

Merely shaking the bush is not usually sufiicient to eflectively removemost of the blueberries. It has been found that, as the base of the bushis shaken, the bush tends to set up a fixed vibratory pattern along thebranches. The bunches of berries usually have the most resistance torapid vibration, due to their inertial effect caused by their Weight,coupled with the flexible nature of the branches. Consequently, it hasbeen found that the blueberry bunches form nodes in a vibratory patternand do not shake off readily. However, it has also been found that bymerely touching the berries or by touching the branches adjacent thegroups of berries to breakup or disrupt this fixed vibratory pattern sothat the berries no longer form nodes, the berries will readily fall offthe bush. This can even be done with a stick. However, it is preferablyto do it automatically. Thus, referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, a paddle wheelstructure 250 is there shown mounted on bearings positioned in a pair ofbraces 2S2 extending from the upright legs 152 and 152' of the L-shapedsupport members. There are two paddle wheels, one mounted to the insidesurface of each leg of the apparatus. Only one is shown in FIGS. 1 and 7since the opposite paddle wheel will look and operate exactly the same.It is thought that its inclusion in the drawings would merelyover-complicate them, and its disclosure is adequate without it. The twopaddle wheels are mounted on the opposite columns to contact both sidesof the bush. The paddle wheel may be made to revolve slowly with a chaindrive 254 operated by a suitable fluid motor 256 mounted to the columnsto the top of the structure, as desired. These paddle wheels should notrevolve rapidly, but slowly to touch the berries and brush the branchesupwardly as they are shaken. They do not beat the bushes since thiswould harm the berries, but are merely inter ruptors or disruptors ofthe fixed vibratory pattern which forms with the berries at the nodes.It will be obvious that other equivalent interruptor structures may beused as long as the berries and branches are contacted slightly, toachieve this purpose.

A second form of interruptor apparatus is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and13. The apparatus is composed of a plurality of arcuate, spherical shellsections 800 resembling orange peels. Each section is pivotally mountednear the upper end thereof to suitable fixed supports 802 on the frame.All are pivotally mounted to a common rod 864 at their inner upper ends.A fluid cylinder 806 is fixed to the vehicle frame and has its pistonrod attached to rods 804 to depress or raise the inner shell ends andthereby pivot the lower outer ends of the sections upwardly ordownwardly respectively.

Each section is preferably formed of a wire or other mesh 810 strungbetween rigid peripheral frame 812.

During passage of the vehicle from bush to bush, the screen shells areheld expanded as in FIG. 13. When the bush is being shaken, the screensare lowered into contact with the berries and branches in the positionshown in FIG. 12 to interrupt the vibrational pattern and cause theberries to be shaken off into the aprons.

When the gripping elements are moved toward each other to grip the bush,and then are vibrated through the mechanism in FIG. 6 to vibrate thebush simultaneously with disruption of the vibratory pattern, theberries fall off the bush and must be collected. The sides of theapparatus are enclosed largely by suspended, thin, sheet metal orequivalent curtain walls 220 mounted at their upper ends to the outeredges of the cross member of the U-shaped frame and mounted at theiropposite lower ends to the inside of the cross members 164 of theL-shaped supports. This is best illustrated in FIG. 7. This presents abasically I-shaped retainer which not only prevents berries from flyingout the side of the apparatus, but also helps collect the berries in thetrough formed by the bottom of the J. Of course, since the ls face eachother, one will always appear backwards, just as one of the face Lsupports appears backwards. Since these sheet metal elements are fixedand do not extend across the gap where the bush enters between the legs,an extensible form of berry collector must be provided to supplementthis trough element. This is achieved with a pair of horizontalgenerally rectangular aprons 224 formed of steel frames (FIGS. 2, 4 and7) each having a canvas,

i.e. flexible cloth or similar material suspended therebetween. Thesecloths are flexible at their inner edges and the frame is somewhatflexible so that as the pair of aprons 224, 226 are extended toward eachother, the flexible canvas cloth will literally wrap around the base ofthe bush to neatly enclose the entire area around the stems of the bushand catch the falling berries. The outer tail ends of these canvascloths extend down into the trough formed by the sheet elements 220(FIG. 4) so that when the aprons are extended, the berries roll down thecloths and into the troughs. They roll to the rear of the slantedtroughs and can be collected and removed through suitable outlets 230.The outer edges of frames 224 for the aprons are slidably mounted intracks along the bottom of legs 150 of the L-shaped support elements andare normally held in a retracted position by tension springs 240 (FIG.7). In this form of the invention, the aprons are automatically extendedwith the grippers. Each apron has aflixed to its center a cable 242which extends around a fixed sheave 244 rotatably secured to the outerend of the lower horizontal frame portion 150 (FIGS. 2 and 7) thenextends back around sheave 246, upwardly between columns 152 and 152,around a third sheave 248, and is connected to a fixed part of the frameelement by a tension spring 270. Thus, when the two column portions arebrought together by movement of plates 180 and 182, since the spring 270is attached to arm 206, cable 242 will be tightened and drawn upwardlyto pull the aprons 226 toward each other at a rate and a distance twicethat of the legs 150 and bumpers 110 and 112, due to the passage ofcable 242 around sheave 244. Thus, by the time the bumper elements 110and 112 are adjacent the base of the plant several inches apart, theapron elements will be overlapping each other as in FIG. 2 with thefront edges of the canvas stretched around the base of the bush tightlyto essentially close up this are and catch the berries.

Power for the driving operation and for the hydraulic control of all ofthe moving components thereof is obtained from an internal combustionengine 16 (FIGS. 1 and 3). This engine operates pump 300 by shaft 302 topump oil from reservoir 304 through lines 306, 308 to theforward-reverse control valve 310, the oscillating or shaking drivecontrol valve 312 (to fluid motor 142) and to control valve 314 formoving the bumper elements 110 and 112 toward and away from each other(through fluid cylinder 200). The oil returns to reservoir 304 throughline 316 and filter 318. A by-pass line 320 with a pressure reliefby-pass valve 322 is provided to relieve excess pressure as necessary.

Shifting of valve 310 by control rod 340 using hand lever 342 enablesthe driver to stop and start the vehicle by controlling the fluidpressure from pump 300 to valve 310, through lines 24 and 26 to wheeldrive fluid motors 20 (FIGS. 5, 4 and 1). Control of valve 314 is hadthrough rod 350 and lever 351 with associated linkage to allow fluidflow in one direction or the other through hoses 360 and 362 to fluidcylinder 200, to open or close the space between the bumpers 110 and 112and to move the aprons. Control of valve 312 through rod 370 controlledby hand lever 372 regulates fluid to motor 142 through lines 374 and 376to oscillate the bumpers through the pitman-crank connections or to stoptheir oscillation. The intensity of oscillation is controlled by avariable flow-dividing valve 380 in line 376 to control the rate offluid flow to motor 142, and thus control the intensity of oscillationof the bumpers and thus of the vibration or shaking effect. Adjacentregulator valve 380 is a by-pass hose 382 which returns fluid back toline 316 to reservoir 304 in varying amounts. This valve 380 and itsassociated lines act as a speed regulator for the oscillation mechanism.

Operation To harvest blueberries, the operator sits on a suitable seat(not shown) adjacent steering wheel 64, whether mounted behind thevehicle or on top of it. Assuming that internal combustion engine 16 isoperating to operate pump 300 and thus pump pressurized fluid fromreservoir 304, the operator first shifts lever 342 and rod 340 to shiftcontrol valve 310 to the wheel drive mechanism. Thus, fluid flows tomotors 20 on the rear wheels 18 to drive the chain sprocket means (FIG.5) and cause the vehicle to move. Similar hoses go to both rear wheels18. He steers the vehicle using the steering wheel 64 to the sprocketdrive and steering shaft 54 to rotate pinion 52, shift gear rack 50,shift chain 48 and rotate sprockets 46 to turn the front wheels so thatthe vehicle can be steered to cause the two side legs of the invertedU-shaped frame to move over the top of a bush in a row of blueberrybushes. As the vehicle begins to go over a bush, the wheels 92 and 94force the outwardly projecting branches to be moved up so that they willnot be scrubbed harmfully. If a V-belt guide mechanism is used as inFIGS. 8 and 9, the motors 20 operate the V-belts also so that the busheswhen contacting the belt will not be scrubbed by moving surfaces, butrather the belt portion contacting it will stay in the same position onthe bush as the vehicle moves by. As soon as the bush is between thebumper or shaker elements and 112, control valve 310 is again shifted tostop the vehicle. A suitable hydraulic lock or mechanical brake may beutilized to hold the vehicle in this position. Next, gripper elements110 and 112 are moved toward each other, and away from the side legs ofthe frame 12 to grip the base of the bush, and more specifically, theplurality of stems thereof with the desired pressure. Thus, the operatorshifts lever 351 and shaft 350 to open valve 314 and allow fluid flow tocylinder 200 to contract the piston and shaft so that plates and 182 aremoved toward each other as regulated by linkage 186, 188, 190. Withmovement of these plates, the L-shaped frame members 150, 152 shifttowards the center into the space between the legs of the vehicle untilthe rubber faces of bumpers 110 and 112 abut the bush with the desiredpressure. Then the valve is closed to retain these elements in thisgripping position. Simultaneously, with inward movement of the bumpers,aprons 224 and their respective canvas members 226 also move in at twicethe rate of the bumpers and twice the distance to slightly overlap, andsurround the base of the bush due to the wrapping of the flexible canvastherearound. If arcuate curtains 204 are employed, these also close infront of the bush as the plates 180 and 182 shift.

Next, the operator shifts lever 372 and shaft 370 to open the controlvalve 312 to the fluid motor 142 to cause the drive sequence illustratedin FIG. 6 to begin operation. With rotation of shaft 138 and thus of thebevel gears 136 and 136 the two sprocket drives to the respective crankand pitmans to these shakers are started into operation. The two shakersmove simultaneously to one side and the other in a synchronous manner toshake the bush while remaining in contact with it. The intensity ofshaking is controlled by adjustment of flow divider valve 380.Simultaneously, the fluid motors 256 (FIG. 7) are actuated to drive thepaddle wheels 250, arcuate screen shells 800, or other vibrationinterrupting means to contact the berry bunches and the bush branches tobreak up the vibratory patterns which occur with the berry bunches atthe nodes. This causes the vigorously shaken berries to fall oncanvasses 226 and roll back into the trough, or fall directly into thetroughs formed by sheet metal 220 and back to the outlets 230 where theymay be emptied as desired. When the bush has been shaken clean, theoperator then stops the shaking operation by shifting control valve 312again. He then opens the gripping mechanism and apron by reversing valve314 to extend the fluid cylinder 200. He also stops operation of fluidmotors 256 to the vibration mechanism. He then moves on to the nextbush.

Modification Referring to FIGS. 9, and 11, a modification of some of theoperative components illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8 is shown.Basically, the device is essentially the same in principle. It employsthe inverted U-shaped frame with drive wheels and hydraulic controls asbefore. However, instead of using a mechanical pitmancrank connection tooscillate the gripper means, and instead of using the elaboratemechanical plate and column assemblies slidable toward each other as inFIG. 3, these operative components are substituted by a simplifiedhydraulic structure. The bumper elements 110 and 112 are basically thesame as those in the first form of the invention. Each is mounted on theinner ends of the rods of a pair of oscillatory fluid cylinders 500 and502. The rear outer ends of these cylinders are rigidly afiflxed to anelongated bracket 504, the ends of which are affixed to the rods of asecond pair of outer fluid cylinders 506 and 508. The rear ends of theseouter fluid cylinders are aflixed to a shaft 510 rotatably mounted inbearings 511 attached to frame 12. A cylinder (not shown) locatedoverhead, rotates the cylindrical supports 510 through an arc, using asuitable connecting linkage 513 to raise and lower bumpers 110 and 112and aprons 524 and 514, as well as the adjacent elements in theseassemblies to provide optimum bush contacting height.

The apron structures 514 are each mounted to an independent pair of rods526 from the independent fluid cylinders 516 and 518 astraddle theshaker cylinders. Each apron may be mounted on a suitable cord 520 whichis attached to a tension spring 522 on each end of the apron inside asheath 524 aflixed to extended shafts 526 of the cylinders 516 and 518.In order to enable the aprons from the opposite sides, i.e. 514 and 514to overlap each other, the sheaths 524 and 524' on the opposite sidesare slightly spaced from each other as shown in FIG. 9.

Operation of the aprons is simply by a control valve to supplypressurized fluid to the front or rear of cylinders 516 and 518 toextend and retract the aprons. Since the aprons are flexible, they willwrap around the bush as they overlap, to prevent loss of berries. Theberries roll from the aprons back into trough 540 where they roll to thecenter thereof to fall on a conveyor 542. The conveyor takes them to anelevated position behind the vehicle into a storage chamber.

To close the bumper elements 110 and 112 onto a bush to shake it, fluidcylinders 506 and 508 on both sides are actuated by pressurized fluidthrough a conventional control valve until the shakers contact the bushbase with desired pressure. Then the device is ready to shake the bushto remove the berries therefrom.

Referring to FIG. 11, a schematic view of the operating and controlmeans for the shaking apparatus is there shown. The four identical,double end, double acting fluid cylinders 500, 502, 500' and 502 areshown supplied from an identical master cylinder 600'. Line 602 from thefront of master cylinder 600 communicates with the rear of cylinder 502.The outlet line 603 from the front of cylinder 502 communicates with therear of cylinder 500. The outlet line 605 from the front of cylinder 500communicates with the front of cylinder 500 on the opposite side, whilethe line 607 from the rear of cylinder 500' communicates with the frontof cylinder 502'. The outlet line 604 from the rear of cylinder 502'communicates with the rear of master cylinder 600. In brief, these slavecylinders are in series relationship with two on each side facing theopposite two. A suitable pump 613 is connected into the system tomaintain operating pressure, controlled by valve 615. Each slavecylinder has a valved line connected between the opposite ends forregulation purposes. The valves 617, 619, 621, and 623 are normallyclosed, and are opened only to permit the movement of an individualpiston back into place with the others in case it should losesynchrornism by leakage or such. The valves would also be opened topermit easier charging of the system and to pre-pressure the system withthe pump.

Master cylinder 600 is operated by a crank and pitman drive whichincludes a motor 612 which may be a fluid motor operated from theinternal combustion engine 16, a chain or belt drive 614 to the sprocketor pulley 616 to operate the crank to the connecting rod 618, and tooscillate lever 620 back and forth. Lever 620 is mounted on its lowerend to rod 618, and at its other upper end to a control rod 622. Thecontrol rod is pivotally mounted to a fixed support 624 in its centerand has a handle 626 at the opposite end. As crank 616 rotates, itoscillates rod 618 and lever 620 back and forth to oscillate the pistonin master cylinder 600. This applies pressure first through line 602 andthen line 604 alternatively. Thus, the slave cylinders 500 and 502 firstextend their shafts or piston rods, while the shafts of cylinders 500and 502 are retracted, and then vice versa, to create a synchronousoscillatory action with a resulting shaking movement where both of thebumpers and 112 move together from one side to the other while remainingin contact With the bush.

Intensity of shaking is controlled through the manual lever 622. Bypivoting the lever upwardly or downwardly, the position of pin 630 inelongated slot 632 varies the distance of pin 630 from pivotalconnection 634 between piston rod 900 and rod 618 to effectively varythe stroke of the rod and piston in cylinder 600. By varying thisstroke, the strokes of the slave cylinders are likewise varied the sameamount, so that the shaking can be accurately controlled.

In the operation of this form of the invention, the vehicle ismaneuvered over the top of the plant and then stopped as describedabove. Then the four fluid cylinders 506, 508, 506 and 508 are actuatedto grip the bush between the bumpers 110 and 112. Also, the fourcylinders 516 and 518 are actuated to overlap the aprons and wrap themaround the bush. Then the drive mechanism from motor 612, chain 614,crank 616, rod 618 and lever 634 to the master cylinder 600 is actuatedto reciprocate the piston in (the master cylinder, and thus alternatelyapply retracting and extending pressure to the slave cylinders 500, 502,500' and 502 to shake the bushes. A suitable vibration interruptor ordisruptor, such as the paddle Wheels 250 or screen shells 800, isutilized to contact the bushes and the berries to cause the berries tobe shaken vigorously.

It will be obvious to those having ordinary skill in this IBIt, thatvarious other structural modifications may be made in the inventiveapparatus without departing from the principles of the apparatus taught.These obvious modifications are therefore deemed to be part of thisinvention, which is to be limited only by the appended claims and thereasonable equivalents thereto.

I claim:

1. The method of removing berries from a bush, comprising the steps of:gripping and shaking the base of said bush in an oscillatory manner;contacting the berries and branches to disrupt the vibratory patternwith berries at the nodes and thereby cause the berries to be vigorouslyshaken to fall; and catching the falling berries.

2. The method of removing blueberries from the bush, comprising thesteps of, gripping and shaking the base of said bush to vibrate thebush; gently enveloping substantial portions of the branches of the bushinto a physical contacting relationship to cause the vibrating berriesto fall; and catching the falling berries.

11 12 3. A method of removing blueberries from a blueberry ReferencesCited by the Examiner bush, comprising the steps of: tightly grippingthe stem UNITED STATES PATENTS of the blueberry bush, and shaking thestem in 21 vi- 51 425 12/1917 Rogers'et a1. l71-27 X bratory pattern toshake the entire bush, including 2,703,953 3/1955 Altemus 171 27 Xbranches and berries, in said vibratory pattern; gently 5 2 34,172 51953 Wood 5 contacting the vibrating branches and berries to disrupt thevibratory pattern and thereby cause the berries to fall ABRAHAM STONEExammerfrom the branches; and catching the falling berries. RUSSELL R.KINSEY, Examiner.

1. THE METHOD OF REMOVING BERRIES FROM A BUSH, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF:GRIPPING AND SHAKING THE BASE OF SAID BUSH IN AN OSCILLATORY MANNER;CONTACTING THE BERRIES AND BRANCHES TO DISRUPT THE VIBRATORY PATTERNWITH BERRIES AT THE NODES AND THEREBY CAUSE THE BERRIES TO BE VIGOROUSLYSHAKEN TO FALL; AND CATCHING THE FALLING BERRIES.